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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Croations Use Dance To Honor Traditions

Nearly half a century ago, three sisters - Binki, Alma and Maria Franulovic - came through Ellis Island as American immigrants when their family fled the Nazi invasion of Yugoslavia.

They grew up in Anacortes, Wash., where other Yugoslavian families had settled, and in 1975, they founded the Vela Luka Croatian Dance Ensemble to keep the music and dance traditions of their homeland alive.

The troupe - 40 strong with the singers and musicians that travel with the group - will perform twice in North Idaho this weekend, Friday in Sandpoint and Saturday in Post Falls.

The dance company is named after the Franulovic sisters’ hometown, a fishing village on the island of Korcula, Croatia. The dances speak to harvest, courtship and weddings and are accompanied by the Ruze Dalmatinke Orchestra. All three sisters still perform in various capacities with the company.

The orchestra members play traditional Croatian instruments such as the lute-like tamburica and the lijerica, a three-stringed bowed instrument, as well as violins and accordions.

Vela Luka represents four generations of Croatian Americans and has been featured in two PBS documentaries. In 1986 the dance troupe represented the state of Washington at the rededication of the Statue of Liberty in New York.

The Franulovic sisters were one of three families featured in the ABC network special “Children of Ellis Island,” which focused on the 12 million immigrants who passed through Ellis Island before it closed.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: ON STAGE The Vela Luka Croatian Dancers perform Friday at 8 p.m. at the Panida Theater in Sandpoint. Tickets are $10, $8 for Pend Oreille Arts Council members, $6 for students younger than 18, available in Sandpoint at Eve’s Leaves, Panhandle State Bank and the Lyman Gallery. The dance troupe also performs Saturday at 7 p.m. at Prairie View School in Post Falls. Tickets are $8, $4.50 for students and seniors, $20 for a family (two adults and all children younger than 12), available at the Post Falls Arts Council office in the Post Falls City Hall, at the elementary school and at G&B Select-a-Seat outlets.

This sidebar appeared with the story: ON STAGE The Vela Luka Croatian Dancers perform Friday at 8 p.m. at the Panida Theater in Sandpoint. Tickets are $10, $8 for Pend Oreille Arts Council members, $6 for students younger than 18, available in Sandpoint at Eve’s Leaves, Panhandle State Bank and the Lyman Gallery. The dance troupe also performs Saturday at 7 p.m. at Prairie View School in Post Falls. Tickets are $8, $4.50 for students and seniors, $20 for a family (two adults and all children younger than 12), available at the Post Falls Arts Council office in the Post Falls City Hall, at the elementary school and at G&B; Select-a-Seat outlets.